Brandylane is a small, independent press, founded in 1985, that publishes a diverse selection of fiction, non-fiction on varied topics, poetry and children’s books. We believe books make a difference, that lives and the world are changed by the power of words and images, and that large publishing houses neglect a wealth of good writing. More and more authors are seeking the personal attention of flexible and accessible small presses like ours. This accessibility and partnership—where author and publisher work cooperatively for success—is part of what makes Brandylane
so appealing to new and established writers.
Kelly H. Johnson is an attorney, writer, and the mother/stepmother of five sons and one daughter. She holds a BBA from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from the College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law.
The journey from childhood to manhood is a momentous and often difficult time in every boy’s life. Never has this transition been more challenging than it is today. In addition to the perennial trials of peer pressure, hormones and popularity, young men must now grapple with a media-saturated culture that places enormous emphasis on physical appeal, material wealth and celebrity status. MTV personalities and video game heroes have become role models to a generation, and boys are hard-pressed to find reliable answers to the age-old question of what it really means to be a man.
Parents must be both creative and dogged to cut through this cultural noise, and they must work twice as hard to convey to their sons the inherent value of ideals such as courage, integrity and kindness. Positive male role models are too few, family time is increasingly scarce, and much of the wisdom that once passed naturally from one generation of men to the next is either drowned out by the drumbeat of popular culture or lost to the demands of the fast-paced life most families now lead.
Last Friday I met with my manuscript review team—a group of four readers who had read and evaluated twelve submissions. For several hours, we discussed the pluses and minuses of these works—from poetry collections and memoir, to novels and academic history. What were we looking for?
The journey from childhood to manhood is a momentous and often difficult time in every boy’s life. Never has this transition been more challenging than it is today. In addition to the perennial trials of peer pressure, hormones and popularity, young men must now grapple with a media-saturated culture that places enormous emphasis on physical appeal, material wealth and celebrity status. MTV personalities and video game heroes have become role models to a generation, and boys are hard-pressed to find reliable answers to the age-old question of what it really means to be a man.
